US taxpayers paid more to Israeli defense budget than Israelis

[Joecooool]

The Israeli army’s chief of staff states that in the past three years, “US taxpayers have contributed more to the Israeli defense budget than Israeli taxpayers,” according to a report in the Jerusalem Post, a prominent Israeli newspaper.

According to the report, Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi made the statement during a speech on September 11th. In it he emphasized: “We must preserve ties with the United States. I believe this is a security necessity.”

According to the newspaper the speech was at the Calcalist Conference, which appears to be an annual event in Tel Aviv sponsored by the Calcalist newspaper, an Israeli Hebrew-only daily financial newspaper. It is is part of the group that publishes Yedioth Ahronoth, the largest circulation newspaper in Israel.

American taxpayers give Israel over $3 billion per year (over $8 million per day), more than to any other nation, despite the fact that Israel is smaller than New Jersey and is in the top 30 richest countries in the world.

Per capita, Israelis receive $10,000 more U.S. tax money than average.

Some of the other top recipients of US tax money, Egypt and Jordan, were provided this assistance in return for diplomatic recognition of the Israeli state.

According to the Congressional Research Service, Israel is given this money in a lump sum at the beginning of the fiscal year. Americans then pay interest on money they have given to Israel, while Israel makes interest on it.

In recent years Israel has reported a lower unemployment rate than the US and a better account balance.

Ashkenazi’s statements are extremely significant, since this is the first time that an Israeli leader has pointed out that American taxpayers pay more to Israel’s defense budget than do Israelis.

If the costs of the Iraq war, which was largely pushed by Israel partisans in the Bush administration, were added into the equation, the American tax money on behalf of Israel would quite likely dwarf the amount paid by Israeli taxpayers.

Some top economists predict that the cost of the Iraq war will be $3 trillion.

Israel has a population of about 7 million people.

Today, Israel partisans are similarly pushing attacks on Iran.

Israel has frequently been accused of using American funds in violation of U.S. arms control laws.

US taxpayers paid more to Israeli defense budget than Israelis

[lander]

What's wrong...they didn't buy any washing equipment from you?

[Doug28450]

Good

[RedLS1GTO]

Just think how many more votes your guy could have if that had been handed out as welfare checks...

[Joecooool]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

Just think how many more votes your guy could have if that had been handed out as welfare checks...

So you are OK for welfare going to foreign states, and against it when it helps American citizens.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by Joecooool

So you are OK for welfare going to foreign states, and against it when it helps American citizens.

If by "helping" Americans you are referring to the half of the population that sits on their asses, contributes nothing to society, and cashes their monthly handout, then yes... it is much better spent on defending an ally.

[Chris Fowler]

While I'm for dropping all foreign aid until we actually have our own money to lend, $3 billion/year to Israel would be near the end of what I would drop.

$1.5 billion to Egypt? Great idea. We have to give $3 billion to Israel to help defend against weapons that were either given by the US or purchased using money given by the US. Talk about insanity...

[Joecooool]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

If by "helping" Americans you are referring to the half of the population that sits on their asses, contributes nothing to society, and cashes their monthly handout, then yes... it is much better spent on defending an ally.

Half? That number has been repeatedly debunked as bullshit.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by Joecooool

Half? That number has been repeatedly debunked as bullshit.

Oh really?

And when Social Security, Medicare and unemployment benefits are included, nearly half of the nation lived in a household that received a government check, according to the analysis of third-quarter 2010 Census data done by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, a libertarian-leaning think tank. That's more than 148 million Americans.

Government assistance expands - Feb. 7, 2012

(Source = CNN)


Did I take the words "nearly half of the nation lived in a household that received a government check" out of context somehow?

[VITE1]

Wow. A little over 3.5 Billion a year to Israel.

U.S. Foreign Aid Summary

Thats like two DAYS of welfare benefits.

What do we get from Israel? Intelligence support, Military and communications technology support and collaboration.

What do we get from Welfare recipients ? Obama?

I take Israel and F**k the rest.

[Joecooool]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

Oh really?



Government assistance expands - Feb. 7, 2012

(Source = CNN)


Did I take the words "nearly half of the nation lived in a household that received a government check" out of context somehow?

Yes. You also said "sits on their asses, contributes nothing to society" which is bullshit because half the 47% are working Americans and more than half of the the remaining numbers are retired citizens that worked their whole lives.

So yes, your numbers and comments are bullshit.

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by Joecooool

Yes. You also said "sits on their asses, contributes nothing to society" which is bullshit because half the 47% are working Americans and more than half of the the remaining numbers are retired citizens that worked their whole lives.

So yes, your numbers and comments are bullshit.

Come on man, I know you are smarter than that.

You can't honestly think that a healthy society has half of the population getting checks from the government.

[Bill]

Teach a man to defend himself and he will defend himself forever. Give a man his defense and he will......most likely live in Israel.

If the Israelis, or any other foreign peoples around the globe can't make a go of things without picking my pocket, then they deserve to fail.

Why is it OK for the Israelis to have their hands in our pockets? When will enough be enough? Hey, here's an idea...why don't they pay for their own shit, just like the welfare slugs stateside should?

We owe $ 17T.....we don't have enough to give spare change to a homeless guy.

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by RedLS1GTO

Oh really?



Did I take the words "nearly half of the nation lived in a household that received a government check" out of context somehow?

Looks pretty clear to me, but then again I'm not a Lib.

I was set to attend Romney's fundraiser in SLC today but got called out of town. Very disappointed, I could have heard all this first hand.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by TxAg

Yeah let's not help our only ally in the area. Feck'em. Brilliant foreign policy. Ron Paul that you?

As for the homeless guy, get a friggin job, go to a shelter or starve. Pick your poison.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain are just Swiss cheese, now?

And as for helping, consider this analogy.

The US is like the little old lady that donates her Social Security check to the televangelist, then has no money to pay the mortgage and the light bill. The televangelist doesn't GAF when little old lady get foreclosed on and gets evicted, as long as he gets his money each month.

[Fasglas]

[mrvette]

What is completely LOST on liberals is the econ figger that Defense bux turn over some 7.5X in the economy.....

and defense R&D makes for much employment of stable middle class families....engineers through accountants, secretaries through owners.....


Welfare, turns over 1.5X in the economy, the rest is not counted because there are NO TAXES OF ANY KIND PAID ON THE UNDERGROUND ECONOMY, which is about 30% of the REPORTED economy, IF we quit supporting the underground economy through welfare, we watch a lot of problems become self correcting, jobs go up, drug use declines, crime declines, less police/fire needed, .gov costs go down, edjemakashunal expenses decline as test scores go up.....